Street Fighter
by normallyabnormal
Summary: Len is just a regular girl, ok, granted that she has been living on the streets of Gotham for the past five years, but what happens when she attracts the attention of both Batman and the Joker? Rated T for safety. please R
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the joker or anything else except for my character(s)**

_Street Fighter_

Len stood up, Shaking slightly as a cold breeze whispered along the alleyway she had been sleeping in. She sighed, it had already been five years since her mother had been killed and she had begun living on the streets of Gotham, and it was amazing that she had survived this long, of course it was helpful that she was a black belt in karate and knew what pressure points to poke to knock someone out.

She examined her ripped jeans and ratty long-sleeved shirt with disgust. When a sound farther down the alley brought her head up with a snap, smoothly falling into her well used fighting position and watched as a man stepped into the light _oh it's just one mugger_ she moved swiftly to one side as the man suddenly lunged at her _he's drunk...great_ as the man tumbled past her one of her hands flashed out and poked him on the back of the neck, aiming for a pressure point that would knock him out. He fell like a sack of potatoes and she stepped around him, leaving the alley.

Bruce POV

He had been staking out a store where he suspected that weapons were being smuggled when he heard a thump, leaping onto the next rooftop and peering down into an alley just in time to see a young girl, about 14, quickly dispatch a man who was obviously intent on mugging her. _I'll have to have Alfred see if he can dig up anything on her_. Then moving back to his post he resumed watching the store.

Len POV

She wandered along the street, heading towards a house where there was an apple tree, sighing she thought _all i eat is apples nowadays, _and pulling a couple off the tree she began to eat and walk at the same time.

--

**Yeah i know it's a bit short, but the next chapter will be longer, i promise. please R&R**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the joker or anything else except for my character(s)**

Joker POV

He sat in a purple (of course) armchair in the center of the old warehouse, watching the tape of the girl taking out one of his thugs with growing hysteria "_Per_fect, yes, all accor_ding_to plan, hee hee hee" He cackled, licking his lips and watched as a shadow appeared in an upper corner of the screen, Batman. "hee hee what will _Bat_sy think when she joins our little _Par_ty.

Bruce POV

Alfred hadn't found much on the girl, just her name and small bit of history: She was Len Hawken, she was supposed to be in an orphanage after her mother was killed but none of the orphanages in Gotham had her in their care. He sighed, just one more thing to worry about. Getting up and noticing that he was still in his suit he simply left and began to look for the girl, finding her a couple blocks away from the alley, and, making sure to stay out of sight, he followed her.

Len POV

Feeling eyes on her she turned around swiftly, probing the darkness for someone, and, seeing no one she turned back a small frown on her face and moved a bit faster, it was almost dawn and absolutely freezing when she made it to one of her favorite places, an abandoned corner of a park with a few rotting benches scattered around. Another twig snapped and finally seeing something she peered closer, only to jump back as five or six men with clown masks jumped out, lunging at her, she knocked out the first two rather easily but the other four surrounded her and attacked as one, tripping the one in front of her, she jumped over his prone form and moved so they couldn't get behind her and released a few kicks but she wasn't able to get close enough to knock them out, she was holding up well but was slowly being driven back, farther into a corner where she couldn't move as well, her optimism faded even more as two more thugs stepped out of the brush to replace the two she had taken care of. But just as one was about to grab her by the throat a shadow seemed to fall from a nearby tree, smoothly knocking out all but one thug, which she quickly knocked out. She studied her unexpected savior, and blinked with astonishment as she saw that it was the batman. her surprise quickly gave way to waryness. "why did you help me?"

" You needed it."

"... I can take care of myself thank you very much"

His voice grew a bit amused "and what was that just now"

"..."

"You shouldn't be out here"

She raised an eyebrow "where else do i have to go? and most definitely NOT an orphanage" she gave him a piercing glare. but he was gone. grumbling softly she left the park and began to wander about. soon coming to the dock and finding a place to spend the day.

_the next day_

Joker POV

With a gleeful cackle he announced to a select group of thugs "follow her, chase her, _nev_er let her rest. I'll have _Pret_ty soon Hee hee hee" He licked his lips again. as his thugs hurried out the door.

Bruce POV

"those were Joker's thugs yesterday Alfred." bruce was pacing back and forth as his butler looked on

"perhaps master Wayne you should bring this to the attention of Gordon?"

"you're right, as usual. i'll go over when it's dark"

_Later_

Commissioner Gordon was just about to turn off the signal and turn in for the night when a deep, rasping voice spoke right behind him, causing him to jump

"what?"

"the Joker has robbed another bank, once again killing everyone onside" Gordon turned to face Batman.

"I know"

"oh, umm well..."

"the Joker is interested in another girl, tomarrow night at the outside gardens of the Rose Resturant, i will bring her."

"wait! you're a wanted criminal! you can't go there!"

"then choose a table in the corner, near the woods, reserve for two."

"wai..." But he was gone.

Gordon sighed and, switching off the signal, walked inside and called the resturant, makeing reservations for two, and told them he would choose the table when he got there the next night.

Len POV

The next evening she woke up to rough voices, after listening for a bit she realized that they were looking for her, She moved swiftly from her hiding place, not quickly enough apparently, for one set up a shout and they began chasing her as she led them on a hectic and slightly dangerous chase, one of them managed to spray her with something but it only got on her arm, however she was beginning to suspect that it had some kind of homing device in it, for whenever she tried to rest they caught up and forced her to run again, a stab of annoyance and frustration shot through her, she had nothing to defend herself with and they were all brandishing knives, so she had no choice but to run from the overwhelming odds, no matter the damage to her ego. Just as they were about to corner her at the dock Batman once again appeared from nowhere and took out the thugs, before turning to look at her. A bit annoyed she said "you would be a good magician you know."

He looked at her, a slight simle hovering around the corners of his mouth "come."

"why?"

"I want you to meet someone."

She glared suspiously at him before nodding, She nearly jumped as he moved impossibly fast and picked her up as easily as if she weighed nothing and began to, well, fly off to some unknown destination.

Joker POV

He cackled, rubbing the blade of one of his many knives, it was all going according to plan.

--

**Heh :D A big thanks for those who reviewed :) Next chapter coming soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the joker or anything else except for my character(s)**

Gordon POV

He had been sitting at the most secluded table in the restaurant for about five minutes when a girl appeared on the seat closest to the woods, having been set there by Bat man. she was skinny and tall but there was a look about her that didn't invite trouble. Batman's voice floated softly from behind a tree "This is Len."

Len POV

She gave the tree Batman was behind a glare and said calmly "I'm perfectly capable of saying my own name."

Batman chuckled then paused "I must go."

Len looked up to see a waiter come over, a soft rustle in the bushes told her Batman had left

"hello may i take your order?" He gave Len a disdainful glare at seeing the state of her clothes

"not just yet thank you." Gordon had noticed the look and gave the waiter a stern glare

"very well sir." The waiter bowed and backed away. Gordon turned back to Len "How long have you lived on the streets?"

"Five years, six in November"

"hmm, Why are you alone, where's your father?"

She frowned at him her voice becoming flat and blunt "No idea, he...left when i was six"

"oh...what about your mother?"

"dead."

Her look was beginning to make him a bit uncomfortable so he changed the subject "are you hungry?" _Oh yeah real smart, of course she's hungry, she looks sick she's so skinny_

"a bit"

"well then, order whatever you want"

the waiter, seeing the conversation wind down moved back to their table "are you ready now?"

"Yes i do believe we are." Gordon smiled at Len "you can go first."

She nodded "I'd like the hamburger pasta."

Gordon blinked, he had not expected her to order that "I'll just have a salad, thanks."

As they were eating, Gordon, who had been thinking said "I think i know who might just take you in if we play our cards right."

She looked up at him, an eyebrow raising with skepticism, but her eyes quickly hardened as she glanced behind him, smoothly getting up and standing warily

Gordon POV

Noticing her sudden change of mood he got up and looked behind him, there were four people in clown masks walking towards their table, the other diners had long since cleared out and they were the only ones left He pulled out a gun he kept for times like this and pointed it at the thugs, who had stopped at the sight of the gun. He glanced back at Len but turned back, confused and annoyed, she was gone_that little...Agh she left me here for dead! _his expression quickly changed to one of astonishment as two of the thugs suddenly dropped to the floor and the thug that was turning around got punched in the face. The last one managed to dodge her first punch and grabbed her arm, but before he could do anything she pulled him toward her and kneed him in the gut, the last thug taken care of she turned to face Gordon again "I think we'd better leave now."

He nodded "I'll take you to the police station, it ought to be safer there, and i have a meeting with the man i was telling you about"

Len POV

Len smiled wryly "ok." and soon they were sitting in Gordons office, waiting for the dawn to come, it was 5:30 in the morning Len concluded, looking at the clock that was on the wall, Gordon excused himself for a moment, after asking what size clothes she wore, but even though she was astonished when he returned with a new pair of jeans and a plain green t-shirt, she went into the bathroom and changed, happy to have new clothes but she would have preferred a long sleeved shirt..._oh well beggars can't be choosers_. the clothes fit and she came back out, once again checking the time, now it was 6:30, she sat in a chair and waited, a bit tense, for Gordon to notice the scars on her arms. He didn't, and so about 7:00 she dozed off and was soon sound asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the joker or anything else except for my character(s)**

Gordon POV

Len had been asleep for about fifteen minutes when a knock on the door announced the arrival of his visitor. The door opened as he called "come in" and so, Bruce Wayne came in.

"Ah, Hello Bruce"

"Sorry I'm late"

"No problem"

Bruce sat down in the other chair "and who's this?"

"That's Len, the reason I wanted to talk to you"

He looked closer at her "Her arms are covered with scars"

"what?" Gordon moved from his desk, examining her arms "they are..." He moved back around his desk "The joker is targeting her and...well, Your manor is one of the safest places in Gotham. I was hoping that she could stay with you until the Joker is caught." He propped his head up with his hands, exhausted.

"I don't have a problem with it. shall we wait until she wakes up?"

Len yawned opening her eyes "no need, i'm already awake."

"Ah, well then you probably heard."

"yup"

"well then, lets go."

"Kay"

_Later_

"And this will be your room during your stay" Alfred was standing by the doorway, smiling a bit at her amazed expression as she stared around the large room.

"...what? oh, ok, thanks.."

Alfred turned and left, and she wandered around the room, still surprised with the size and blinked with astonishment as she looked into the adjoining bathroom, it was smaller than the bedroom but still huge. Feeling a wave of exhaustion she flopped onto the bed and quickly fell asleep, feeling safe and warm for the first time in a while.

Bruce POV

He sat down on a couch, facing Alfred. As the sky outside darkened and rain began to pour down he said "i don't get it Alfred, She had no problem taking out the thug in an alley, whats so different about the park?"

"I think, Master Bruce, that she relies mostly on speed and agility to fight, the place in the park where they jumped her was a bit small, was it not? she may have survived on the streets for five years but she's still a fourteen year old who ought to still be in high school"

Bruce nodded "right again Alfred, that makes sense." He frowned "i wonder how much of an education she has."

"You can ask her that in the morning"

_the next day_

About noon he was sitting at a table in the kitchen, eating lunch when Len walked in, still looking a bit tired. There was a brief silence which Alfred broke by asking Len if she would like any breakfast, she nodded and somehow managed to eat unusually fast yet neatly as the bacon and eggs disappeared. He cleared his throat "well, Len, do you know how long you went to school?"

"never, i was homeschooled." She gave her plate to alfred and said "do you mind if i look around for a bit?"

"not at all, just stay out of locked rooms"

"ok" She got up and left to spent the day exploring.

--

**wow, major writers block -- sorry for taking so long hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the joker or anything else except for my character(s)**

Joker POV

The warehouse was bustling with activity as people in clown masks raced about reinforcing everything they could, but most of the activity was centered around a room that was being built in a corner, the fresh concrete poured into walls, and in those walls heavy iron shackles were set.

The Joker smirked, soon very soon it would be ready. Everything was falling into place as if the gods themselves were helping him, He stood up and swept his purple jacket off the arm of the chair he had been sitting on and put it on, letting out a hysterical giggle that echoed eerily off the walls.

_Five days later_

Len POV

She sighed happily and snuggled deeper into the huge, cozy armchair in the library. The last few days had been nice. She felt healthier and stronger than she had in years. Mr. Wayne and Alfred had been very nice to her and in an hour or so they were going to see Commissioner Gordon. She hefted the huge book in her hands and opened it to the first page, and soon she was lost in the story, completely oblivious of everything around her.

_An Hour Later_

She, Mr. Wayne, and Gordon were sitting in a spacious room which she vaguely recognized as Gordon's office. Gordon was making small talk and she was completely ignoring them, instead fascinated by the small fish tank on the desk.

Gordon POV

It was astonishing really, how much she had changed from the exhausted, sickly, and starving girl who had fallen asleep in a chair. This version of her was alert, and the sickly glow had vanished. All that remained of the exhaustion was dark shadows under her eyes. She seemed entranced by his fish and reflected that she had probably not seen them before. Her hair had been combed and her clothes washed, if he had to compare the two versions, it would be almost impossible to believe that they were the same person.

He jumped as the phone on his desk rang, with a soft grumble about not being disturbed he picked it up "Hello?"

"_sorry to bother you sir but we have a bit of a situation down at the Arkham Asylum_"

"What sort of situation?"

"_BOOOM. uh, as in all the patients going nuts, someone blew a hole in the wall and their overrunning the plac-"_the phone cut off as a cry of pain filtered through the receiver, as well as shouts and screams in the background.

Setting the phone down, Gordon smiled a bit shakily at Mr. Wayne and Len, who was finally giving him her full attention "I'm Sorry but I'm afraid this will have to wait until later, I'm needed at Arkham." he moved out of his office, only pausing to grab his jacket and to ask his assistant to show his guests out if they needed it. Then, gathering a few officers who weren't doing anything, he quickly got into a squad car, then he and the officers sped off toward the Asylum.

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**the next chapter shall be out soon, and many thanks to the people who reviewed hugs**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the joker or anything else except for my character(s)**

**And the fish on Gordon's desk were betas :D**

**--**

Gordon POV

As he arrived at the asylum an eerie silence permeated the air and set his teeth on edge, the screaming and shouting from the phone call had completely disappeared as if it had never happened and it was creeping him out. He pulled out his gun and, with it ready, pushed open the door...It looked completely normal, nothing was out of place, the only things missing was the employees. As he and the officers he had brought cautiously opened the door to the block where the patients were kept, they all tensed in readiness as they looked down the rows of doors, expecting all to be open. But all of them were closed and when Gordon looked into a few rooms it looked like all the patients were sleeping. However when he went back out into the lobby and went through the door marked "Staff Lounge" a gruesome sight met his eyes. All the chairs in the lounge had been arranged in a rectangle and all the staff were tied to the chairs with their throats slit. The blood had been used to create a crude copy of a joker card. The stench nearly overwhelmed him and he was forced to cover his nose and mouth. After motioning to two of the officers the examine the scene, he left the room with the rest and, with suspicion growing in his mind, walked back towards the patients quarters.

It was still unusually quiet as he checked the first and was only a bit surprised to find it open, but, when he opened it completely and checked the man on the cot, he saw that the man was dead, his throat cut in the same way as the staff. When he walked out of the room his officers confirmed his suspicions further as they all said that the ones they had checked were all dead. One, a rookie, looked scared enough to just run out screaming...

Len POV

She and Mr. Wayne were Riding back in his car...that is if you could call it a car, it was more like a small limo, but it was comfortable so she wasn't going to complain, She yawned then stared out the window in the general direction of the Asylum as her eyes drifted closed.

When she woke up they were just pulling into the driveway of the mansion, she sleepily sat up and got out of the car, glancing around, still slightly amazed that she was living here. After a quick stop at the library to grab a book and a glass of water she went up to her room and settled down to read for a bit. she managed to read a few pages before falling asleep.

_She woke up in the middle of the night, feeling unusually restless, she felt a cold breeze and noticed with a small frown that the window was open. As she went over to close it something grabbed her from behind, stifling her shout with a piece of duct tape. An insane laugh sounded in her ears as a pair of hands pushed her out the window...._

She snapped her eyes open and had to scramble to not fall off the bed, after pulling herself up she sat up in the center of her bed, feeling a slight sheen of cold sweat all over her body. _That was one hell of a scary and lifelike dream._ She groped blindly for the glass of water on the bedside table and, spilling some of it on her face, took a long gulp. Feeling the terror of the dream fading she set the glass back down and after drying her face she nestled back under the covers again, falling asleep after a while and sleeping soundly through the night with no other nightmares or lifelike dreams.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the joker or anything else except for my character(s)**

_Three Days Later_

Len POV

Len sat on the low wall surrounding the large garden on Mr. Wayne's estate, swinging her legs absentmindedly as she stared out across the rows of plants. A finger traced one of the larger scars on her arms as her eyes followed a pair of pigeons that were swooping around above what she guessed was carrots. A sudden crunch on the gravel path behind her startled her out of her reverie and she turned to see Mr. Wayne standing behind her. He came up and sat next to her, pausing for a second before asking "I've been meaning to ask you, you were nine when you began living on the streets, correct?"

At her nod he continued, "How did you survive? Most kids wouldn't last very long out there."

She glanced at him briefly before looking back up to the sky "This old guy found me about a day after I left and he kinda took care of me and taught me the necessary survival skills for a few years."

"I see..." He looked over at her, then smiled "Well unless you want Alfred to hunt you down all the way out here with your lunch, I suggest we go back."

Len smiled back then nodded, hopping off the wall and began down the path, turning and walking backwards until she saw Mr. Wayne get up and start to follow.

_Four hours later_

Len walked out of her room, making her way downstairs towards the dining room with a preoccupied half-frown on her face. Just barely avoiding colliding with the door she walked in and sat in a seat, absently saying thank you to Alfred as he set a plate heaped with food in front of her. She was somewhat aware of the puzzled look Mr. Wayne was giving her and with some effort she smoothed out her face and tried to push her thoughts to the back on her head. Eating quicker than usual she excused herself once she was done and retreated back to her room. Curling up on her bed she stared at the window, watching the sunset with a slight twinge of anxiety. She had been having the same reoccurring nightmare every night for four days straight now, each time she would be sound asleep then wake up sensing something was wrong, then something would happen to her, sometimes it was getting pushed out of the window and sometimes it was getting poisoned or her throat slit. What was weird about it was that she never had any trouble falling asleep, so with a soft, reluctant sigh she pulled up her blankets and prepared for another bad dream as she slipped off into sleep.

_She was in a creepily familiar room as she opened her eyes and sat up, her hear hammering with some unexplained fear. Without realizing it she slowly moved over and got off the bed moving over to the window as if in a trance, however here the dream changed. A soft laugh behind her caused her to spin around at stare at....nothing...there wasn't anything there. Another chuckle sent her spinning around in another direction, but to no avail, to all appearances her room was deserted, But a deep rooted unease kept her pacing around the room. A board suddenly creaked behind her and before she could move something was wrapped around her mouth and something cold and hard clamped her hands together behind her back as she struggled, unable to make a sound. Something dark blocked her view of the moonlit room, and once the darkness vanished she found herself in a graveyard. Another chuckle sent her whirling around to stare at a gravestone, a push to her back sent her stumbling up to it, close enough to read the encryption 'Marissa Hawken, beloved mother and daughter'. Len backpedaled with a hoarse gasp, stumbling over her own feet as she turned to run, unable to deal with the wellspring of emotion suddenly swirling within her. A mass of Fear, rage, and grief all bundled up until it felt she would burst. She crashed into another gravestone and fell, throwing out her hands...._

...As she hit the floor, letting out a soft squeak of surprise she scrambled back into bed, hoping she hadn't been too noisy. However, as she curled back up under the sheets she faintly heard footsteps coming up the staircase near her room. Suppressing a sigh she sat back up and tried in vain to compose her face. She had somewhat succeeded when the door opened and My. Wayne slipped in, looking a bit worried, and after studying her face said "Are you ok?"

"y-yeah, just a bad dream..."

"Ah, Well if you need anything at all just ask."

"Ok."

Len pulled her blankets up around her as Mr. Wayne left the room, finally sinking into a mercifully dreamless sleep.

_Four days later_

Len stepped outside, closing the door behind her and slinging her backpack over her shoulder as she walked down the driveway, where there was a car waiting to take her to the library. She would have rather walked but both Mr. Wayne and Alfred had insisted, saying that she would be safer than is she was to walk. So she got in and the driver, apparently knowing where she wanted to go, pulled out of the driveway as soon as she was in. She settled back into the seat and gazed out the window at the passing city, but sat up abruptly after ten minutes of so. They had just passed the library without any signs of stopping, she moved forward and rapped on the window separating her from the driver and as it slid half open his voice floated through "Can I help you, miss?"

"Um, actually you just passed the library"

"Oh, really?" The driver turned around enough to see his face, and she moved backward as quickly as she could with a slight gasp. The driver was wearing an eerily familiar clown mask, and as she lunged for the door he pressed a button up front and all of the locks snapped shut. As much as she struggled and pulled at the locks they would not re-open, and once she had decided that it was hopeless she resorted to punching the window between her and the driver as it slid shut again. Len jumped as a loud hissing noise came from under the seats, and watched as a whitish mist rose up from the vents as she held her breath, but eventually she had to take a breath and once she had she slowly slumped in the seat, unconscious.

Bruce POV

About twenty minutes after Len had left for the library he passed by a window that gave him a view of the driveway, and the car sitting in it. Feeling a faint twinge of suspicion and curiosity he walked down to the main door and opened it just after the doorbell rang. The driver was standing there looking a bit puzzled "Excuse me, sir, but didn't you ask for a car out front a while ago?"

"Yes, I did"

"Well, might I ask where my passenger is then?"

Bruce paled slightly as he grasped what must have happened, but he smoothed out his face "It seems she decided not to leave, you may go."

The driver nodded and began at walk away as Bruce shut the door. He was moving even before it was completely shut.

Soon he was on a computer, attempting to track Len's cell phone, which he had given her some weeks ago. But the signal was scattered and he was unable to get a lock. With a growl of frustration and got up to search for her the hard way, he placed a call to Gordon as he moved, giving him what he knew. After that he left, still trying every so often to get a lock on her cell phone.


	8. Author note

Yea, I'm still alive.

Well, I've decided where this story is going to go- don't worry, I'm not deleting it, just reworking it. Reading through it a few days ago I realized just how many mistakes there were, and how confusing some parts were (at least to me).

The changes won't be too drastic- a few minor plot, age, and details changes.

~normallyabnormal


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